Human Concerns: Support Life

Support Life

Every human being, at every stage and condition, is willed and loved by God. For this reason, every human life is sacred, a gift from God. Each person who receives this gift has responsibilities toward God, self and others. Our faith must determine how we care for an unexpected child, a parent suffering from cognitive impairment, or an infant with a disability. Society, through its laws and social institutions, must protect and nurture human life at every stage of its existence.

These beliefs flow from ordinary reason and from our faith’s constant witness that “life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception” (Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, #51).

A Prayer for Life

Father and maker of all, you adorn all creation with splendor and beauty, and fashion human lives in your image and likeness. Awaken in every heart reverence for the work of your hands, and renew among your people a readiness to nurture and sustain your precious gift of life.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

(This prayer is adapted from Living the Gospel of LIfe: A Challenge to American Catholics, copyright 1998, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.)

Support Pro-Life Legislation: Please ask your Legislators to support pro-life legislation (House Bill 1440) and urge Governor McDonnell to regulate first trimester abortion clinics to protect women and save lives. HB 1440 is a bill to construe the word "person" under Virginia law, including, but not limited to Va. Code Ann.8:00-50 to include unborn children. For more information on Virginia laws regarding the unborn, follow this link http://virginiarallyforlife.com/

Respect Life Related Ministries:

Redeemer participates in Respect Life Sunday to renew our convictions regarding the sanctity and dignity of human life. This is observed in January to maximize its impact by linking it to other significant Respect Life-related events during that month: our diocesan Respect Life Collection, the national March for Life in Washington, and the opening of the Virginia General Assembly.

St. Benedict's Parish in Richmond has a “Mass for Life” on the first Saturday of each month at 8:30am.

Rachel’s Vineyard:

Rachel's Vineyard is a safe place to renew, rebuild and redeem hearts broken by abortion. Weekend retreats offer a supportive, confidential and non-judgmental environment where women and men can express, release and reconcile painful post-abortive emotions to begin the process of restoration, renewal and healing. http://www.rachelsvineyard.org/

Be Not Afraid:

First launched online beginning in October of 2002, Benotafraid.net is a network of concerned parents, professionals, and laypersons who have experienced and/or worked closely with issues surrounding poor prenatal diagnoses. In presenting our stories and information relevant to various diagnoses, we intend to offer hope to parents who are asked to make life and death decisions about their unborn baby. This outreach is guided by the directives of the Catholic Church as they concern issues surrounding beginning and end of life. Additionally, while many of our stories and essays reflect a Catholic Christian perspective, other essays and stories we feature are of interest to any parent grappling with a difficult prenatal diagnosis. Therefore, Catholic families and non-Catholic families alike can benefit from this outreach. www.Benotafraid.net

Catholics Against Capital Punishment:

This resource offers a wealth of information on Capital Punishment, current laws, facts and figures and the connection to Catholic Social Teaching. http://www.cacp.org

The Virginia Catholic Conference (VCC) represents the public-policy interests of the Commonwealth's Catholic bishops and their two dioceses. The Conference engages in advocacy on respect-life, social justice, and education issues through contacts with state and federal lawmakers, grassroots advocates, and media outlets. Respect Life initiatives seek to protect human life and dignity in every stage of development and circumstance. To join the network and advocate for initiatives that protect life: http://capwiz.com/vacatholic/mlm/signup/?ignore_cookie=1